This is exactly what I mean!

These are people who are worshiped as idols. People hang on their every word. Love them. Adore them. Tremble at the sight of them. Say “Oh, I can’t believe it’s really you!” And these very same people are the ones who are defending this trash. This whole Roman Polanski debacle is a good reminder of how little average Americans have in common with the Hollywood Elite. This man, who was 43 at the time, drugged, raped and sodomized a 13 year old girl. Thirteen. He pled his case down to unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor, but when the judge rejected the plea agreement, Polanski decided to flee. Now,  a gang of filmmakers have started a petition demanding that Polanski be released.

CNN

ZURICH, Switzerland (CNN) — Woody Allen, Pedro Almodovar and Martin Scorsese have “demanded the immediate release” of fellow filmmaker Roman Polanski, who was arrested in Switzerland on a U.S. arrest warrant related to a 1977 child sex charge.  They were among 138 people in the film industry who signed a petition against the arrest.

Disgusting. Stop. Celebrity. Worship. They deserve no more and in some cases much less respect than the average person. They just happened to choose a profession (if you want to call playing make-believe a profession)which allows them to be seen and heard by millions of people and in many cases, make millions of dollars just for being seen.  They are so accustomed to being adored and admired, that they expect special treatment.  But think about it. Do they deserve any more respect or admiration than the guy who dropped you off at work in his cab? Or the waitress who served you dinner? No. They are all performing a service for money. They should have to earn our respect like anyone else we encounter.

Constitution Day

Happy Constitution Day!   On today’s date 222 years ago, the U.S. Constitution was signed by thirty-nine Heroes.  The signing in 1787, set the stage for ratification in 1788.   Certainly there were many more individuals involved in the formation of America, but for various reasons, that day there were 39 who signed

1. Washington, George, VA
2. Franklin, Benjamin, PA
3. Madison, James, VA
4. Hamilton, Alexander, NY
5. Morris, Gouverneur, PA
6. Morris, Robert, PA
7. Wilson, James, PA
8. Pinckney, Chas. Cotesworth, SC
9. Pinckney, Chas, SC
10. Rutledge, John, SC
11. Butler, Pierce, SC
12. Sherman, Roger, CT
13. Johnson, William Samuel, CT
14. McHenry, James, MD
15. Read, George, DE
16. Bassett, Richard, DE
17. Spaight, Richard Dobbs, NC
18. Blount, William, NC
19. Williamson, Hugh, NC
20. Jenifer, Daniel of St. Thomas, MD
21. King, Rufus, MA
22. Gorham, Nathaniel, MA
23. Dayton, Jonathan, NJ
24. Carroll, Daniel, MD
25. Few, William, GA
26. Baldwin, Abraham, GA
27. Langdon, John, NH
28. Gilman, Nicholas, NH
29. Livingston, William, NJ
30. Paterson, William, NJ
31. Mifflin, Thomas, PA
32. Clymer, George, PA
33. FitzSimons, Thomas, PA
34. Ingersoll, Jared, PA
35. Bedford, Gunning, Jr., DE
36. Brearley, David, NJ
37. Dickinson, John, DE
38. Blair, John, VA
39. Broom, Jacob, DE

Thanks to these courageous men, we gained all of the freedoms, rights and privileges we now enjoy and often take for granted. Years ago, I purchased a pocket sized copy of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence to carry with me, with the intention of reading them every time I had a free moment, such as in the doctors waiting room, getting my car serviced and so on. But somehow, I still have not gotten around to reading either one. Starting now ok, Saturday I am going to do a weekly study of the Constitution. People literally risk their lives to get into this great country of ours and that is primarily due to the words written in that brilliant document. The least we can do is get to know it

Name Ten

Are you average? I am. I don’t mean in terms of intelligence, looks, personality, or charm. Needless to say, we’re all above average as far as those things are concerned. What I mean is we work, probably have families/children to take care of, limited time for hobbies, exercising, relaxation, entertainment,etc…just like the majority of the population. But, I would bet most of us average joes & janes could easily name ten celebrities. Even those oh so pretentious I never watch television, why I don’t even own one, people could easily name ten.  But could we name ten non-historical, every day heroes? Probably not. Can you name that police hostage negotiator who talked the bank robber into releasing every one of the hostages unharmed? How about the Marine who just arrived home from active duty, fighting terrorists and keeping Americans safe? The sanitation worker who hauls your trash, thus helping to keep your residence clean and pest free? No, most of us could not. It’s not all our fault though.  Everywhere we turn, there is celebrity news hitting us in the face. On the internet, 24 hour cable stations, tabloid newspapers at the checkout stand, it’s virtually impossible to avoid.  Let’s work together to change that. If you come across stories of people you believe should be featured here, send me the link and I will do my best to post them. Heroes deserve to be known.

United 93

Imagine if you can, being on a flight going home, on a business trip, or just a vacation. The flight has taken off successfully, your nerves have settled, maybe you have a drink and are watching a movie. Then suddenly, you feel like you must be in a movie instead of just watching one.  You hear strange people with red bandanas tied to their heads, announcing over the loudspeaker that they have a bomb, and you hear that someone has been stabbed.  People around you have started making calls to loved ones and now you’re getting reports that the World Trade Center in New York and possibly the Pentagon have been attacked using planes just like the one you’re on.  Once you hear that, you know the same thing is probably going to be attempted on your plane. Your head is reeling and it hits you that you are probably going to die. Do you cower down and pray for your own safety? Do you panic, cry, scream, whimper, and accept your fate? You may do all or none of those things, but in the end you decide to fight back.

That is why I’m highlighting Flight 93. No doubt, there were countless numbers of heroes associated with 9-11, in New York and at the Pentagon in D.C., but they were people we expect to be heroes. Firefighters, police officers, paramedics, emt’s, nurses, doctors, security guards, coast guard and so on. They all did their jobs and did them admirably. They went way above and beyond what they get paid to do. The  people on Flight 93 were just regular people who were not expected to be heroes, but they were. We will never know how many other lives they saved.  Get to know these heroes if you haven’t already, here.

Ed Morrisey at Hot Air has a nice tribute and videos.

Mr.Wrestling IV at Big Hollywood has lots of pictures and a very heartfelt memorial.

2 firefighters killed battling California wildfire

Sacrifices our firefighters and their families make daily to keep us safe

LOS ANGELES – Firefighters tried to hold back a massive wildfire from consuming thousands of homes and an essential communications centerLos Angeles County as they mourned two of their own who were killed when their vehicle was overrun by fast-moving flames and rolled down a mountain side.

About 12,000 homes, as well as crucial communications and astronomy centers atop Mount Wilson, were threatened the fire. On the blaze’s northwestern front, two firefighters were killed Sunday on Mount Gleason near the city of Acton.

“We ask for your understanding, for your patience as we move through this difficult time, and please, prayers for the families of our two brothers that we lost,” county Deputy Fire Chief Mike Bryant said through tears at a Sunday press conference.

Fire Capt. Tedmund Hall, 47, of San Bernardino County, and firefighter Specialist Arnaldo “Arnie” Quinones, 35, of Palmdale, were killed in the crash, the department said in a statement. Authorities did not give a cause for the crash.

Hall was a 26-year veteran, and Quinones had been a county firefighter for eight years.

“Our hearts are heavy as we are tragically reminded of the sacrifices our firefighters and their families make daily to keep us safe,” Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said in a statement.

Pay close attention to that last paragraph. That really cuts to the heart of the matter. “Sacrifices our firefighters and their families make daily to keep us safe”. Yes, firefighters get paid to do their job. Yes, in most places they receive great benefits and lots of time off. But the reality is, even with those incentives, the vast majority of us would not take that job unless we were starving, about to be evicted and had no other recourse. I mean really, who in their right mind would choose to run into a fire for any amount of money or benefits? Only a chosen few.  And I say thank God for those chosen few who are crazy enough to do it. Also, lets not forget, not all of them receive those nice paychecks and benefits. Many smaller or unicorporated towns rely on volunteer firefighters and police officers. How special do you have to be to do that for no compensation? Pretty darn. I’ll take one fireman over a hundred Brad Pitts or George Clooneys anyday. So, to the family and friends of Fire Captain Tedmund Hall, of San Bernardino County and Firefighter Specialist Arnaldo “Arnie” Quinones of Palmdale, thank you for sharing your Heroes with us, and thank you for the sacrifices you made which enabled them to be our Heroes.

Real, not Reel heroes

Heroes, role-models, icons; we all know people who tend to worship and even deify actors, singers, and athletes.  A popular magazine recently had a cover photo of Michael Jackson, with a caption calling Michael our icon.  According to the dictionary, an icon is a symbol of something sacred.  I don’t know about you, but I did not regard Michael Jackson as sacred.  Don’t get me wrong, he was a great entertainer and a very talented individual, but I don’t worship any human being.  It never ceases to amaze me how people  look up to actors, musicians, athletes and place them on such high pedestals. If any human is going to be put on a pedestal, why not a firefighter, a police officer, a teacher, or a military member? If we’re going to worship anyone, shouldn’t it at least be someone who is actually involved in saving lives or improving the quality of someone’s life in a tangible, measurable way like a doctor or nurse perhaps?  And not someone who merely plays a doctor on screen?  According to Dictionary.com, a hero is defined as:

1.	a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities.

2.	a person who, in the opinion of others, has heroic qualities or has performed a heroic act and is regarded as a model or ideal

Now, there’s also a definition at Merriam-Webster which reads:

4: an object of extreme admiration and devotion

We have more than enough of the MW definition, on stage, screen and athletic fields, so I am dedicating this site to the first two definitions. There are innumerable celebrity websites and fan clubs that lavish attention, affection and accolades to those who entertain for a living.   Don’t you think it’s about time life savers got some love too? This blog will showcase real heroes and not reel heroes. Though, I reserve the right to feature reel heroes as well, should there be an occasion to do so.  I will feature stories about the people who make America great. In the words of Todd Beamer, “Let’s Roll!”